which

adjective

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\ ˈ(h)wich

Essential Meaning of which

: what one or ones of a group : what particular one or ones

Full Definition of which

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : being what one or ones out of a group —used as an interrogative which tie should I wearkept a record of which employees took their vacations in July

2 : whichever it will not fit, turn it which way you like

3 —used as a function word to introduce a nonrestrictive relative clause and to modify a noun in that clause and to refer together with that noun to a word or word group in a preceding clause or to an entire preceding clause or sentence or longer unit of discourse in German, which language might … have been the medium of transmission— Thomas Pylesthat this city is a rebellious city … : for which cause was this city destroyed — Ezra 4:15 (King James Version)

which

pronoun

Definition of which (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : what one or ones out of a group —used as an interrogative which of those houses do you live inwhich of you want tea and which want lemonadehe is swimming or canoeing, I don't know which

2 : whichever take which you like

3 —used as a function word to introduce a relative clause —used in any grammatical relation except that of a possessive —used especially in reference to animals, inanimate objects, groups, or ideas the bonds which represent the debt— G. B. Robinsonthe Samnite tribes, which settled south and southeast of Rome— Ernst Pulgram —used freely in reference to persons as recently as the 17th century our Father which art in heaven — Matthew 6:9 (King James Version) , and still occasionally so used but usually with some implication of emphasis on the function or role of the person rather than on the person as such chiefly they wanted husbands, which they got easily— Lynn White —used by speakers on all educational levels and by many reputable writers, though disapproved by some grammarians, in reference to an idea expressed by a word or group of words that is not necessarily a noun or noun phrase he resigned that post, after which he engaged in ranching — Current Biography

which

conjunction

Definition of which (Entry 3 of 3)

informal

—used as an introductory particle (see particle sense 4) before a word or phrase that is a reaction to or commentary on the previous clause I have a very big reputation in Vancouver for being a sore loser, which, fair enough.— Ilona VerleyThis morning we have the monthly jobs report, which who knows if it will meet or beat expectations.— Todd 'Bubba' HorwitzScientists have discovered the bones of a three-foot-tall, 15-pound parrot that lived some 16 million years ago. The remains had initially been misidentified as those of an "enormous, possibly human-eating eagle," which … yikes.— Oliver Roeder

that, which, or who?: Usage Guide More Example Sentences Learn More About which

Examples of which in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The real Morel and Wilson had no luck reaching MTA, which shut down 20 years ago and was dropped from the Colorado secretary of state’s registry in 2001. — Grace Schneider, The Courier-Journal, 6 July 2017 June Gloom is over, summer is officially here – and the days are only getting shorter – which is reason enough to knock off work early and head to happy hour. — Cole Kazdin, Los Angeles Magazine, 6 July 2017 Reeder's dog is allergic to wheat, which is not uncommon. — William Thornton, AL.com, 6 July 2017 MLB Pitch, Hit & Run encourages youth players to develop their skills by competing in pitching, hitting, and running competitions, which begin at the local level and continuing through sectional and team championships. — Jim Varsallone, miamiherald, 6 July 2017 This year's show will be at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds, 2581 W. State Road 2, LaPorte, which can accommodate 90-100 vendors. — Post-Tribune, 5 July 2017 Many progressives object to developers’ business model, which depends on building new units and charging as much as possible for them, even if that makes them unaffordable for longtime residents. — Alana Semuels, The Atlantic, 5 July 2017 Residents seem to be embracing the electric people-movers, which are now operating under summer hours of 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Hamik said. — Erin Hegarty, Naperville Sun, 5 July 2017 The biggest spending cuts hit the Medicaid program, which provides health coverage for low-income children and adults, including paying for nearly half of all births and much of the cost of nursing home care. — Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News, 5 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'which.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More About which

From the Editors at Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Entries Near which

whge

which

whichaway

Statistics for which

Cite this Entry

“Which.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/which. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.

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More Definitions for which

which

adjective

\ ˈhwich

, ˈwich \

Kids Definition of which

(Entry 1 of 2)

: what certain one or ones Which hat should I wear?

which

pronoun

Kids Definition of which (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : which one or ones Which is the right answer?

2 —used in place of the name of something other than people at the beginning of a clause He needs help, which we can provide.The idea which you had was good.